Shloka 8

अरिष्टवृषभदैत्यवधः (गोव्रजत्राणम्)

Devanagari script

सिंहनादं ततश् चक्रे तलशब्दं च केशवः तच्छब्दश्रवणाच् चासौ दामोदरमुखं ययौ

Transliteration

siṃhanādaṃ tataś cakre talaśabdaṃ ca keśavaḥ tacchabdaśravaṇāc cāsau dāmodaramukhaṃ yayau

Translation

Then Keśava let out a lion-like roar and also sounded a sharp, resonant clap. Hearing that call, he came straight toward Dāmodara’s presence.

Word by Word

• सिंहनादम्: lion-roar
• सिंहनादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह + नाद (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सिंहस्य नादः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• चक्रे: made, uttered
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• तलशब्दम्: a clapping/striking sound
• तलशब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल + शब्द (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तलस्य शब्दः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• केशवः: Keshava
• केशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तच्छब्दश्रवणात्: from hearing that sound
• तच्छब्दश्रवणात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + शब्द + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य शब्दस्य श्रवणम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दामोदरमुखम्: Damodara’s face/front
• दामोदरमुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर + मुख (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दामोदरस्य मुखम्)

• ययौ: went, approached
• ययौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa manifests to subdue demonic aggressors and reassure the devotees through sovereign, effortless mastery.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Re-establishing safety in Vraja and demonstrating the Lord’s protective sovereignty.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s mere will expressed as nāda (roar/clap) compels adharma to face its end and reassures devotees of divine control.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In adversity, anchor the mind in the Lord’s sovereignty—respond with steadiness rather than reactive fear.

Vishishtadvaita: Personal Bhagavān acts directly in the world; His śakti operates through simple gestures, showing immanence without loss of transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Keśava
• Dāmodara

FAQs

What is the significance of Keśava’s lion-roar and clap in the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a sovereign summons—Krishna’s mere sound becomes an authoritative signal that moves others toward his presence, highlighting his effortless lordship within līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine control in seemingly ordinary actions?

By narrating simple gestures (a roar, a clap) as causally decisive, Parāśara shows that the Supreme (Vishnu as Krishna) governs outcomes without strain, through play rather than compulsion.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Krishna (Keśava/Dāmodara) is presented as the commanding center of the scene—his presence and will draw beings toward him, reflecting Vaishnava theology of the Lord as the supreme, ordering Reality.